ALYCE BROWN Sports Writer, Author at The Rapid City Post

FILE - NJ/NY Gotham FC forward Sarah Schupansky dribbles the ball with Seattle Reign FC midfielder Angharad James-Turner, left, and midfielder Jess Fishlock, right, defending during an NWSL soccer match in Seattle, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/John Froschauer,File)

Looking to the playoffs, Gotham FC has a not-so-secret weapon — a lot of rookies

October 19, 2025

Gotham FC punched their ticket to the playoffs Sunday with a 2-2 draw with Racing Louisville – and for a flurry of new faces on the pitch, it will be their very first. The club has the largest rookie contingent of any team in the league this season, made up of nine newcomers – Sarah Shupansky, Lilly Reale, Khyah Harper, Ryan Campbell, Sofia Cook, Emerson Elgin, Tyler McCamey, Josefine Hasbo, and Kayla Duran. And they’ve been making their mark.

Young players have questions. At the US Open, Billie Jean King always has answers

August 28, 2025

Two days before the U.S. Open’s singles competition began, Billie Jean King sat around a table in the Arthur Ashe building with a small group of up-and-coming players on the women’s tour. Steps away from the tournament’s biggest stage, the group shared stories, raised questions and listened to King’s advice. It’s a meeting called the Billie Jean King Power Hour, and it’s been a behind-the-scenes staple in New York for 28 years. She was joined last week by WTA veterans Ilana Kloss, Leslie Allen and Shelby Rogers.

The US Open dating show: How Grand Slam tennis tournaments are shooting for a Gen Z audience

August 25, 2025

Over the course of the past week, eight couples have gone on their first dates across the U.S. Open’s grounds — on camera. The dates will air to the public across the course of the tournament. The eight-episode YouTube series that made its debut Sunday comes amidst an explosive moment for dating shows. “Love Island,” “Love is Blind” and “The Bachelor” are just a few shows in the genre that have dominated young American audiences in the past year. But, perhaps more importantly, it also comes at an important time for content created by Grand Slam tournaments.

ATP partners with TikTok to capitalize on the rise of behind-the-scenes content

August 19, 2025

The newest popular influencer on TikTok’s “For You” page might be the scroller’s favorite tennis player. The ATP sure hopes so. The governing body of men’s professional tennis announced Tuesday it will be partnering with TikTok to further develop tennis content and bolster engagement on the platform. One of its stated goals is player engagement, aimed at helping more ATP players build up followings on the platform and give tennis fans exclusive behind-the-scenes access to the sport. Its other goal is the creation of the “Tennis Creator Network,” an initiative that will help existing non-athlete creators create TikTok content at ATP tour events.

WNBA All-Stars make statement with warmup shirts over CBA

July 19, 2025

Players wore shirts reading “Pay us what you owe us” during warmups for the All-Star game. The message follows failed negotiations on a collective bargaining agreement with the league. Players are seeking higher salaries, improved benefits and revenue sharing. Some players, including All-Stars Napheesa Collier and Angel Reese, have hinted at a potential walkout if no agreement is reached by October.

‘Women deserve to be at the table’: The WNBA’s signature shoe boom

July 18, 2025

WNBA signature sneakers are experiencing a major resurgence. Over the past three years, players like Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, A’ja Wilson, and Angel Reese have launched their own lines, with Caitlin Clark’s debut in progress. StockX reports a 938% surge in WNBA sneaker sales from 2023 to 2024, reflecting booming interest.

ALYCE BROWN Sports Writer.